X# Runtime progress report

With this message we would like to give you all a quick heads up of the progress on the X# runtime.
As promised in Cologne last month we will release the first beta of the X# runtime end of May.
And we are on schedule !

We will release the first Beta next week. This will include XSharp.Core.DLL and XSharp.VO.DLL the 2 components that contain the XBase functions and XBase specific types. Recompiled versions of the VO class libraries are most likely not included yet. These will follow a few weeks later. In fact: we will not send you these DLLs but will deliver a tool that will create personalid versions of these DLLs for you which include your Visual Objects username and serial number, to avoid legal and copyright issues. That means that without valid VO installation you will not be able to create these DLLs.

The beta will also include a new version of the compiler. The only major thing changed in the compiler is that it "knows" about our runtime DLLs.
In earlier versions the compiler would translate XBase types such as USUAL and DATE to the appropriate types in the Vulcan Runtime DLL. Now it checks the DLLs that are linked into the app and dynamically switches between either the X# implementation of these types or the Vulcan implementation.

Nearly all functions in the Vulcan and VO runtime have been implemented in the X# runtime. A list of functions that is not implemented or obsolete will be included in the documentation.

We are also creating documentation for the runtime functions and types using a special version of Sandcastle Helpfile Builder. We have added an X# syntax tab to the information for each runtime function and method. We will make this special version of Sandcastle available to our FOX subscribers as well so you can use it for your own products as well.